Ritz Chicken Casserole combines a creamy, cheesy chicken filling with a crisp, buttery Ritz cracker topping for a satisfying and easy dinner! This casserole comes together super quickly and is great served with a side of skillet green beans or an easy carrot saute.
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Easy to Love Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole
I’m not sure if it’s my Midwestern heritage or the stubbornly cold Ohio winters, but the call of the casserole on a gray winter night is impossible to ignore. Nothing satisfies quite like tucking into a hearty casserole, with all it’s warm, cheesy goodness. It’s what the heart wants.
This Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole is a new family favorite that hits all the right casserole notes. It’s so easy to prep, is out of the oven in less than 40 minutes, and delivers in flavor and comfort in equal measure. With layers of creamy chicken, melted cheese, and crisp, buttery Ritz crackers, this one is sure to be a hit with both the kids and adults in your life.
If you’re looking for more ways to satisfy a casserole craving, try our Green Bean Tater Tot Casserole or Johnny Marzetti Casserole.
CourtneyKey Ingredients + Substitutions
- Cooked Chicken– We love to use leftover rotisserie chicken for this recipe, but it works with any leftover chicken you happen to have around. Try it with Italian Dressing Chicken, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs, or easy Poached Chicken.
- Cream of Chicken Soup– You can use the plain kind or the kind with herbs, or substitute cream of mushroom soup, if you prefer.
- Sour cream– I recommend full fat for extra creaminess and tang!
- Seasonings– Nothing worse than a bland casserole, so we make sure to add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Cheese– We used shredded cheddar, but a shredded Mexican blend would also be yummy.
- Ritz crackers– A classic. It’s tough to find a substitute that can compare to the buttery crisp/soft texture of a Ritz.
- Salted butter– Substitute unsalted butter and a pinch of salt if needed.
How to Make Chicken and Ritz Cracker Casserole
Step 1: Mix together the chicken, canned soup, sour cream, and seasonings and place in a baking dish.
Step 2: Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.
Step 3: In a bowl, crumble the Ritz crackers and then pour melted butter over them, mixing to combine. Spread over the casserole.
Step 4: Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until the crackers are browned and casserole is bubbling at the edges.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
- Leftovers Ritz casserole keeps well, covered and stored in the refrigerator, for 4-5 days.
- Reheating: In the microwave in 30 second increments, or in the oven, covered with foil and for 10 minutes, then uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until top is browned and re-crisped.
- To make ahead of time: Prepare the casserole, but omit the Ritz topping. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove from the fridge, add the topping, and bake as usual.
What to Serve with Ritz Chicken Casserole
This chicken casserole just needs a simple veggie side to make it a complete meal. Consider adding roasted zucchini and peppers, sauteed spinach and onions, or roasted green beans and mushrooms.
A fresh side salad or lemony arugula salad are also great choices. My kids especially love this with crock pot applesauce.
FAQs
Absolutely! If you’re feeding a crowd, feel free to double the recipe and bake it in a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.
Canned condensed chicken soup can be substituted with this easy roux-based recipe. This is what we do for one of our other favorite casseroles, easy cheesy potatoes.
More Comforting Casserole Recipes to Try
- Company Casserole
- Runza Casserole with Ground Beef and Cabbage
- Cheesy Pizza Casserole
- Easy Corn Souffle Casserole
- John Wayne Casserole
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Ritz Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken
- 1 10.5 oz. can cream of chicken soup
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 42 Ritz crackers ((2 standard sleeves))
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter (melted)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8 or 9 inch square casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a bowl or in the casserole dish, combine the chicken, canned soup, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Mix well until combined.
- Spread the mixture evenly over the baking dish, then cover with the shredded cheddar cheese.
- In another bowl, crumble the Ritz crackers using your hands or the bottom of a rolling pin. Pour the melted butter over top of the crackers and mix. Spread the crackers on top of the casserole.
- Bake for 22-27 minutes, or until the crackers are golden brown and the casserole is starting to bubble around the edges. Remove from the oven and serve!
Notes
- To make ahead of time: Assemble everything except for the cracker topping. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Remove from the fridge, add the crumb topping, then bake as usual
- Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or crisp, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
Equipment
Nutrition
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